Rihanna darling, is this how you create music?!

[Deleted User] · 10/10/12 - 14:59

Q: How did you come to produce Diamonds for Rihanna?

Benny Blanco: Me and Stargate – Stargate brought me in – and we’ve been making tracks for a little bit, you know we did ‘Work Hard’ together, the Wiz Khalifa record, we were just making a bunch of different records and we’ve been making stuff for Rihanna and then it was dope and then one day we went in and we were like, “Oh, let’s make something like, as if Kanye can rap on it.” We weren’t thinking of Rihanna at all and then it’s the one that we weren’t thinking Rihanna, is the one that turned into the Rihanna record…But that’s how it always happens like with me, when I’m really thinking, “Yo, you got to make this hit right now, we got to make the first single right now.” It never works that way…You know…music’s not a pressure-based thing…It just kind of happens, so whenever I’m…just not thinking about it, just freeing my mind, just trying to make music that I want to hear…those are the ones that usually go somewhere.

So we made the record first and then made the beat. And the beat was just chilling for a little while. We didn’t really think of it and then, Stargate was in with Sia and she wrote a song to it and then…they were like, “We got this dope song.” I went in, I heard it and then they were like, “We want to play it to Rihanna.” And I was like, “Okay.” And I was like, “Really, this song?” Cause it was…a slower record…you know we have a bunch of up-tempo records and they were like, “Yeah, man. She really wants it.”

So then they went in, they played it for her. They called me from London, they were like, you know, “She’s flippin’ out. She played it like seven times in a row. It’s her favorite song.” And I was like, “Wow, okay.” So then they were like, “She’s recording it.” And I was like, “Okay.” You know, ’cause…usually I record my own stuff. But…she’s on the road, we’re in New York. She recorded it…and I’m like, “Wow, she’s really recording this record! This is crazy.”

I still don’t even believe it, yet. And then they’re like, “Yo, it’s going to be the first single.” And then I’m like, “Okay.” And then just like, more and more things started happening they were like, “Yo, we got to get it finished, they’re releasing it tomorrow.” We had one day to finish it. We didn’t even have her vocals, yet. We had to finish all the music around it without even having her vocals and I was like, “There’s no way this is happening. Then we get the song the next day we had to mix this song the same day and master it and then it was out a few days later. It was crazy and I can’t believe how well it’s doing. It’s amazing.

Q: Have you spoken with Rihanna about how well the song is doing?

Benny Blanco: I have never even met her! It’s so weird how music works right now…I don’t even know if we’ve ever been in the same room as each other. So, Hi Rihanna!

This just sums up how artists like Rihanna get the chance to release albums every year. Just lay the vocals and on to the next one!!!

shackfan · 10/10/12 - 15:07

Great. And your point is?
I expect that was how Sinatra and Elvis did it too.

KieranDS · 10/10/12 - 15:14

So...

konebyvax · 10/10/12 - 15:17

And in other news, bears really do defacate in the woods...

LandslideBrad · 10/10/12 - 15:19

And..?

[Deleted User] · 10/10/12 - 15:24

Rihanna has co-written some of her music though. I know she did on A Girl Like Me, Rated R and more recently Talk That Talk.

[Deleted User] · 10/10/12 - 15:30

This is nothing new. Party in the USA was the exact same way. To this day, Jessie J has never met Miley Cyrus and that was the biggest song of 09 and made both of them a shit ton of money. Miley Cyrus told people then she had never listened to a Jay-Z song in her life and she only recorded the song because she needed promo for her clothing line. That's just the way the industry works and it's nothing new for Rihanna, Britney, and many more who don't write. Whitney didn't write, Michael had a lot of his songs written for him, Smokey Robinson wrote for most of Motown. It's nothing new.

[Deleted User] · 10/10/12 - 15:34

I agree with most of that ^ but Britney has been more creative in the past. In The Zone she was the main writer on alot of that album. And i still to this day would love to hear/buy the unreleased Can U Handle Mine/Orginial Doll album. Britney wrote alot of the songs.

[Deleted User] · 10/10/12 - 15:37

Poison_Ivan wrote: »

Rihanna has co-written some of her music though. I know she did on A Girl Like Me, Rated R and more recently Talk That Talk.

Yea, just like Beyonce "co-wrote" Irreplaceable and If I Were A Boy. If their name is not first in the writing credit chances are they did very little. From Ne-Yo "The lyrics are all mine, but she just added a couple harmonies so I gave her songwriting credit." From Beyonce "I wrote this song for all my girls." Yea, right. Ne-Yo wrote it about his aunt.

[Deleted User] · 10/10/12 - 15:40

I wondered how long it would take for someone to wheel out the old co-written bollocks... was sooner than I thought:D

Hav_mor91 · 10/10/12 - 15:48

i really don't care Rihanna releases good pop music and a decent slew of albums if i want something more high brow i'll put on a bit of Kate Bush there are plenty of artists out there so at the end of the day as long as you enjoy it just shut up and listen or switch it off and forget about her

[Deleted User] · 10/10/12 - 15:51

MrMeatAndPotato wrote: »

I wondered how long it would take for someone to wheel out the old co-written bollocks... was sooner than I thought:D

I know, right? There are only a few current world wide popstars who genuinely cowrite their material. Right now I can think of Jessie J, Lady GaGa, Taylor Swift, and I think Katy Perry(and if she doesn't she needs to hire some better songwriters, tbh) Oh, so does P!nk and Kelly Clarkson.

da3bool · 10/10/12 - 15:53

sjp07 wrote: »

Yea, just like Beyonce "co-wrote" Irreplaceable and If I Were A Boy. If their name is not first in the writing credit chances are they did very little. From Ne-Yo "The lyrics are all mine, but she just added a couple harmonies so I gave her songwriting credit." From Beyonce "I wrote this song for all my girls." Yea, right. Ne-Yo wrote it about his aunt.

First of all, Beyonce never claimed she wrote "If I were a boy". The album credits says written by Toby Gad and BC Jean.

On the Neyo thing, this is what he had to say

“That’s happened before. Here’s my thing, when I write a song for an artist I want that artist to take that song and make it their [own]. If you listen to my version of “Irreplaceable” and listen to Beyonce’s version of “Irreplaceable”, its two damn totally different songs with all the harmonies and extra stuff she put in there. So yea, I gave her her writer’s credit because that counts. That’s writing. That harmony that you put right there. That little background part, I didn’t write that originally. You put that in there, so for her to take the song and make it her’s, I didn’t mind her saying ‘I wrote this song for my girls’ at a concert or whatever the case may be. Because in a way, technically, she did put her spin on it. If you gonna do it the exact same way I did it, you might as well let me keep it.”

On nicmars post
I don't see what Rihanna did wrong there. She was offered a song. She liked it and recorded it! Not a big deal.

[Deleted User] · 10/10/12 - 15:59

Yes she did about If I Were A Boy. She had to change it after she got sued. Look it up. The song was originally for BC Jean's own album, but she hadn't used it yet and was just playing it at showcases. Beyonce has been in these kinds of situations numerous times over the years. The history is all over the internet for you to see. She doesn't have one original bone in he body.

da3bool · 10/10/12 - 16:09

sjp07 wrote: »

Yes she did about If I Were A Boy. She had to change it after she got sued. Look it up. The song was originally for BC Jean's own album, but she hadn't used it yet and was just playing it at showcases. Beyonce has been in these kinds of situations numerous times over the years. The history is all over the internet for you to see. She doesn't have one original bone in he body.

Hmmm That's only if you believe Fox News which where the article came from.

BC Jean came out on a number of interviews saying the story isn't true.

http://ralphieaversa.com/2010/10/exclusive-bc-jean-claims-beyonce-didnt-steal-if-i-were-a-boy/#.UHWOm_VKa1I

Plus Beyonce had already shipped her millions of albums worldwide when the single came out. So how the hell did she manage to change the credits on the album booklets?!!!

It's sad that people like you choose to believe rumours and gossip websites rather than Neyo and BC Jean themselves!

aisey · 10/10/12 - 16:43

Music is made in many different ways. This is just one of them. Always has been. I used to get wound up about this sort of thng, but actually, who cares? If it's good, it's good regardless. Which I'm not saying this track is, but hey...;)

LM · 10/10/12 - 16:49

I'm not bothered because so many artists past and present have done it.
I really don't know why people have it in for RIhanna regarding how her music is dealt with.

mimicole · 10/10/12 - 17:15

This has been known for years.

shackfan · 10/10/12 - 17:38

Bet this thread hasn't gone how you thought it would op:D At the end of the day, all that matters is what it sounds like on my stereo.

[Deleted User] · 10/10/12 - 18:16

shackfan wrote: »

Bet this thread hasn't gone how you thought it would op:D At the end of the day, all that matters is what it sounds like on my stereo.

Like a german phrase: Entscheidend ist, was hinten rauskommt

Apollo Creed · 10/10/12 - 18:39

In fairness, I didn't realise Rihanna was a singer. I thought she was just a very famous naturist

Jay_Wallace · 10/10/12 - 18:42

As long as it's a decent song (like it is), why should we care?

Also, It should be known that Nicmars is a huge fan of Lady Gaga. Enough said!

[Deleted User] · 10/10/12 - 18:57

WHO CARES. At least she is always honest about the origins of her songs! Same goes for Britney
http://www.theprophetblog.net/hit-songwriter-heather-bright-praises-britney-for-not-faking-writing-credits/

However, threads like this just raise my respect for Christina and P!nk who are both very much in charge of their musical direction without compromising integrity

[Deleted User] · 10/10/12 - 19:05

Jay_Wallace wrote: »

As long as it's a decent song (like it is), why should we care?

Also, It should be known that Nicmars is a huge fan of Lady Gaga. Enough said!

Hmm so if Lady Gaga recorded a song that she hadn't written, you wouldn't care or say anything on it whatsoever?

[Deleted User] · 10/10/12 - 19:11

Rihanna has hardly been known for her artistry. She's always been more style than substance. But it's a great song and as far as musical puppets go, she's not the worst.

kutox · 10/10/12 - 19:12

shackfan wrote: »

Great. And your point is?
I expect that was how Sinatra and Elvis did it too.

But they actually had soul. No-one else could really do their songs justice in the same way, whereas thousands could do what Rihanna does

Hey there!

Quick Links

Rihanna darling, is this how you create music?!

Comments